Challenge Word of the Day
by luvhapiends
Summary: A collection of mostly one shots that started as a result of the Word of the Day Challenge at the Fox Bones forum. These were all written some time ago. Each word is supposed to be its own chapter, and because they weren't originally uploaded that way I'm redoing it. Thank you, Angie! Oh, and I should probably lay out my Disclaimer here: I DO NOT OWN BONES
1. Chapter 1

Cacoethes- an irresistible or insatiable urge 

Dr. Brennan saw him from across the gym and made her way closer. As she took a seat on a lower level of the bleachers, a smile crossed her lips as she was reminded of their time in Las Vegas. She watched him in the ring. His sparring partner was the young blond Adonis she had heard some of the female agents talking about, and he looked far too confident. They circled each other several times before Adonis made his move. His right arm shot out to connect with Booth's left jaw, but Booth raised his left arm to block and countered with a right fist to Adonis' left ribs.

They continued in this way for several more minutes. With Adonis connecting his shots with limited accuracy, and Booth landing all of his. When Booth landed a fierce punch to the left side of Adonis' head, Adonis fell back and landed with a thud on the mat. He lay motionless for several seconds, then moaning, raised himself to his feet.

Brennan's cell phone rang in her purse. She fished it out and answered, "Brennan."

"Hi, Sweetie," Angela greeted. "Did you find Booth?"

"Yes, Angela. I found him at the FBI gym. He's boxing." Brennan continued to watch Booth as he connected his blows to the younger agent. His sleeveless white T-shirt was drenched with his sweat and clinging lovingly to every dip and curve of his perfectly formed upper body.

Angela's voice called her from where she was lost in her view of Booth's physique. "Bren! Are you there, Sweetie?"

Brennan blinked and tried to focus on Angela's voice. "Um... yes, I'm here," she answered.

"So, is he?" Angela asked excitedly.

"Is he what?" Brennan asked her, confused. Then realized that while she was caught up in the beauty of Booth's body, she had missed Angela's question.

"All hot and sweaty. I bet he is. That super hot, sexy body glistening with sweat. Mmmm...Sweetie, come on, you have to tell me!" Angela's description of Booth's body was completely accurate. And once again, Brennan couldn't tear her eyes from him. "Sweetie? Is he even more gorgeous than normal?"

"Mmm hmm", was Brennan's only reply. Then Booth was out of the ring and standing with some other agents. Brennan gasped with a swift intake of breath as Booth lifted his shirt over his head and began to towel the sweat from his body. "What?" Angela yelled through the phone. "What's going on, Bren?"

"Nothing's wrong, Ange. But I think your cacoethes concerning the male body, specifically Booth's body, has somehow been transferred to me, " Brennan told her best friend matter of factly.

Angela let out a small squeal, followed by a giggle. "Really, Sweetie! What has Studly Agent Booth done to give you insatiable urges about his body?"

Brennan continued to watch as Booth wiped the dripping sweat from his torso. He must have felt her eyes on him, because he looked up and straight into her crystal blue eyes. He smiled at her and she smiled back. When he excused himself from his fellow agents and began to walk her way, Brennan said into the phone, "He took off his shirt," and just as another squeal came over the line, Brennan ended the call.

As Booth approached her, wearing only gray FBI sweatpants, sneakers, and a damp towel around his neck, Brennan said, "Hey Tony, baby. Lookin' good up there," in her best Roxie voice.

Booth's face broke into a wide grin. He pulled her up and against his body, his arm falling to her waist. "Thanks Roxie. What say we go home and I can show off my other talents?" he responded in Tony's accented voice.


	2. Chapter 2

Intractable- difficult to manage

Agent Perotta stood on the platform at the Jeffersonian, watching Dr. Brennan as she examined the newly cleaned skeleton of their victim. She had been assigned to work with Dr. Brennan and the Jeffersonian team until Agent Booth was cleared for duty after his surgery. Agent Perotta hadn't really minded that she had been asked to take Agent Booth's place while he recovered. She didn't really like Agent Booth's "squint squad", especially Dr. Brennan, but she couldn't argue with their results. She found Dr. Brennan to be difficult in many ways, not least of all managing her within FBI protocol. Though, she acknowledged, Agent Booth didn't seem to suffer the same problems with Dr. Brennan. She would have to ask his advice in the subject.

"Agent Perotta?", Dr. Brennan addressed her.

"Yes, Dr. Brennan? I'm sorry, did you say something?" She blinked her eyes to focus on the woman facing her. She noticed that not only was Dr. Brennan watching her, but so were the rest of the team.

"Yes. We have cause of death on the victim." Dr. Brennan turned back to the metal and glass table that held the skeleton. She pointed to the left side of the victim's rib cage, indicating the marks on two of the rib bones. "The victim was stabbed here, puncturing his heart. There are no other injuries that would cause sufficient damage for cause of death." She turned back to look at Agent Perotta, who was writing on a notepad.

Agent Perotta looked up at Dr. Brennan. "Okay. Do we have an ID yet?", she asked.

Dr. Brennan pointed toward this week's intern, Wendell, and said, "Wendell will begin applying the tissue markers after lunch. Once I have approved them, the skull can be sent to Angela. Until that time, no, we do not have identification for this victim."

"Bren?", Angela said from the steps of the platform. Temperance looked over at her best friend. Angela pointed to her watch. "Sweetie, it's 11:45. You need to go." Temperance pulled the latex gloves from her hands and moved toward Angela. She hurried toward her office with Angela and Agent Perotta on her heels. Inside Temperance's office, Angela told her, "I already called and everything should be ready when you get there."

Dr. Brennan shrugged out of her lab coat and hung it on her coat rack. "You're leaving, Dr. Brennan? In the middle of a case?", Agent Perotta asked, incredulously. She looked from Dr. Brennan to Angela and back to Dr. Brennan. "We still have quite a bit more work to do today on this case. This is not the time to go running off in the middle of the day to get your hair done. Cullen wants this case solved as soon as possible."

Temperance faced Agent Perotta with a calm face and demeanor. It was only her crystal blue eyes that shown any sign of her annoyance with the other woman. "Agent Perotta, I'm very aware of how quickly Cullen wants this case closed. I also know, quite a bit better than you, how much work still needs to be done on this case. However, I am leaving now, but I will be back later this afternoon. I will continue working then, but the rest of the team will continue after lunch." With that, she grabbed her purse and walked out of her office.

The other women followed close behind. _"Dr. Brennan!"_, Agent Perotta nearly yelled.

Temperance stopped in her tracks and turned to face the agent. She was not accustomed to being talked to in this way. She did not like it. And not being one to back down from a challenge, she decided Agent Perotta needed to be...what did Booth call it?... taken down a notch. _"Agent Perotta, _let me assure you of something. _I _do not work for you, I work for the Jeffersonian. Cullen is not my boss, he's yours. I am not taking orders from you on this or any other case we are forced to work together. If you have a problem with me or the way we do things here, I suggest you talk to Cullen. Now," Temperance took a deep steadying breath, "I'm going to lunch."

Agent Perotta stared open mouthed at Dr. Brennan as she began to walk away. Angela, Hodgins, Cam, and Wendell were all staring at the scene before them. Agent Perotta turned and pulled out her phone. She punched in the number she wanted and waited for her call to be answered. To the man on the other end of the line she seethed, "I can not work with that woman!"

Temperance opened the door to her apartment and looked around. The television was on, but there was no sign of her houseguest. She set the bags of takeout on the counter in the kitchen. "Booth", she called.

"Bones", he answered from behind her. She turned and showed him the bags of food. He smiled broadly at her. "Are you sure you're not my wife, Bones?"

She smiled back at him. "Quite sure, Booth." She began pulling cartons of food from the bags on the counter.

He opened the containers and arranged them on the table. "Really, Bones? Because bringing me lunch is a very wife like thing to do."

She rolled her eyes at him. "So what have you been doing today?"

He took a bite of his burger and chewed lovingly. He swallowed and groaned in satisfaction. "Well," he said, "I had an interesting phone call from Agent Perotta about 20 minutes ago. It seems she's having some problems with her partner." He raised his eyebrows at her. Silently asking, "_Do you know anything about that",_ with his eyes.

"I am _not_ her partner, Booth. I am _your _partner," she stated indignantly.

"Bones," he smiled at her. "you are my partner. But, you have to work with Agent Perotta until I'm cleared for work."

Temperance sighed. "What did she say?"

"Basically, she thinks you are...", he searched for the right word, "intractable."

She was shocked. "Intractable? I'm intractable?"

"Yeah, Bones, you know, hard to handle."

She rolled her eyes again and folded her arms across her chest. "I know what intractable means, Booth." She looked down and then up at him. "Do you think I'm intractable?"

He reached across the table and took her hands in his. "We've been working together for a while, Bones, and I've learned how to...well... when to push you in a different direction than you want to go and when to back down." She open her mouth to say something, but he went on. "Agent Perotta, doesn't have the benefit of my experience in working with you."

"So you're saying that I should stop being myself around her so she will feel more confident in her job?", she asked.

"Just go easy on her, Bones. That's all I ask." He gave her his best charm smile.

Oh, that smile. It got her every time. "Okay, Booth. For you, I'll go easy on her." She smiled back at him. Then a thought occurred to her. Did he think she was being difficult with Agent Perotta solely because she didn't want to work with another agent? "Booth, in my defense, Agent Perotta and I have worked relatively well together until today." His gaze told her to continue. "She became very authorative when I was preparing to leave. When I refused to stay, she accused me of running off to get my hair done in the middle of the day. As if to say I do not care about the case. I did tell her I would be back this afternoon to continue working, but that didn't seem to matter to her at all. So, I chose to let her know where I stood on the situation."

He smiled at her again. Not the charm smile, but it tugged at her heart nonetheless. "You didn't think to tell her why you were leaving, Bones?", he asked.

"No, Booth. It was none of her business."

He laughed. "You never thought she would have been more understanding if you had explained that you were having lunch with me and then taking me to my doctor appointment?" He shook his head.

"Perhaps. But it is still none of her business," she answered. And, she thought to herself, she wasn't about to let Agent Perotta or anyone else keep her from Booth when he needed her.


	3. Chapter 3

Oculoplania-to look at something or someone with desire or longing; ogling

Special Agent Seeley Booth was becoming increasingly irritated. He had been ordered to train a green agent, and the guy was getting on his nerves. Agent Don Avery, who Angela had dubbed Don Juan, would make a decent agent if he lived through Booth's training. So far, it didn't look so good for the younger agent. This was only the third day of the month long training and all ready the guy was getting under Booth's skin.

Since introducing his trainee to Bones, the guy had not stopped staring at her. He did his job, but most of his time with them was spent ogling her. Booth did not like it. Not that he blamed the younger man, Bones was a beautiful woman. But she was _his, _and he didn't want any other man lusting after her. Booth had to keep reminding himself that he couldn't shoot Avery for looking at his partner.

He watched Bones from his spot on the platform. She was leaning over the exam table examining the skeleton of their victim. Avery was standing on the other side of the table from her, enjoying the view of Bones' cleavage. Booth stepped closer to Avery and said, "You know, Agent Avery, if Bones wanted you to look down her shirt, she would tell you," loud enough for everyone on the platform to hear. And as soon as Booth's words left his mouth, four pairs of eyes were on the three people surrounding the exam table.

Dr. Brennan looked up and raised her eyebrows at Agent Avery. The younger agent's green eyes were wide with shock and embarrassment. "Dr. Brennan," he stammered, "I swear...I wasn't...I mean...I would never-" He stopped when she held up a gloved hand.

She looked to Booth and smiled. She and Booth had discussed this situation just the night before during dinner. They had both decided the behavior was inappropriate and if the hints they were both dropping weren't enough, they would have to be more obvious. "Agent Avery, there is no need to be embarrassed. I've noticed you engaging in oculoplania when in my presence for some time now. While it is a natural reaction to any display of femininity, I feel I should tell you that I hold three black belts and only allow Agent Booth to ogle me without consequence." She looked back down to the bones on the table. "Oh," she said, looking back up at Agent Avery, "it also might interest you to know that Booth is very protective of me and doesn't like when other men ogle me."

Agent Avery looked warily to Agent Booth, who was smiling brightly. "Oh! Umm...I'm...sorry. I didn't realize that you two were...", his voice trailed off.

Dr. Brennan snapped off her latex gloves, and looked at Booth. He was still smiling a broad smile at everyone on the platform. "Booth," she told him, "let's go to lunch. I'm hungry." To which his answer was to follow her from the platform, his arm lying lightly on her shoulders. When they were in the SUV, Brennan said, "That was more fun than I thought." Booth just smiled and patted her hand.


	4. Chapter 4

Blandishment-a flattering action or speech

"Did you see those eyes? So big and brown." Brennan's voice drifted out of Angela's office.

"Oh, I know. And all that gorgeous dark hair. What about the other one? He's got such clear blue eyes. I just fell in love with him as soon as he looked at me," came Angela's voice.

"Oh, yes. I completely agree. The eyes get to me as well. One look at those big brown beautiful pools and I'm unable to resist him," Brennan replied.

Outside the office door stood two men. One with very clear, very blue eyes and the other with big brown eyes and dark hair. They looked at each other with big grins plastered on their faces. "You hear that, G-man?" Hodgins whispered to his fellow eavesdropper. "They totally want us."

Booth just continued to grin. His brown eyes twinkling with pride at what they had just heard. Hodgins held up his fist to Booth. Booth bumped his fist to Hodgins', both men saying "Yeah," in hushed excitement.

They heard shuffling inside the office and both men scattered to the platform. Angela and Dr. Brennan emerged from the office smiling and still discussing the power of eyes over their willpower.

Later that afternoon, while Booth and Brennan ate lunch at the diner, Booth asked, "So, Bones, what did you do over the weekend?"

"I spent the majority of the weekend with Angela. We volunteered at the local animal shelter."

Booth nodded. "Oh, how did Angela get you to do that?" He saw the expression on her face and immediately rethought his question. "I mean... you don't normally volunteer for things like that, do you?"

"That's true, I don't normally volunteer at the animal shelter. Though I may do so more in the future," she told him.

He nodded again and smiled at her, making sure he held her eyes with his. When she didn't react to what he thought was his best flirty stare, he dropped his gaze and finished his lunch. Wondering how Hodgins was doing with Angela.

Back at the lab, after an uneventful and somewhat disappointing lunch, Booth lounged on Brennan's office couch. She was at her desk, peering into the computer screen. Angela came in with some papers and rushed over to Brennan. "Sweetie, look at what I just got. Aren't they adorable? I don't think I'm going to be able to see them again without having to take at least one of them home."

Booth sat up looked at the two women. "Oh Ange, they are extremely cute. I really love the one I spent most of my time with. He was lovely, and I still can't get over those big brown eyes."

What were they looking at? Did they have pictures of him and Hodgins? He walked over to the desk and craned his neck to see the pictures. There were no people in any of the pictures. Only dogs. Specifically two dogs, the same two dogs in each of the four pictures. He was surprised and more than a little embarrassed. But he couldn't stop the words from spilling out of his mouth. "These are the eyes you were going on about? The big brown eyes and the clear blue eyes that neither of you can resist belong to dogs?"

Brennan looked up from the pictures. "Of course, Booth. What did you think our blandishments were concerning?"

A slow smile spread across Angela's face. She laughed. "I know what he thought." To Booth she asked, "You thought we were talking about your gorgeous brown eyes, didn't you, Agent Hot Stuff?" She laughed again.

Booth's face began to turn red as a blush of embarrassment covered his face. But if he was going down, he wouldn't go alone. "It wasn't just me. And it's not like we were trying to overhear you. We just happened to be walking by when we heard you. Hodgins said he thought you were talking about us," he explained.

Angela laughed again and continued to laugh as she left the office. Brennan wasn't laughing, she was watching Booth with a sly smile on her face. She raised herself from her chair and walked around her desk to stand close to him. "You know Booth, one of the reasons why I thought the dog's eyes were so irresistible was because they reminded me of yours. And I have a very hard time resisting you when you give me that puppy dog stare." She watched as a new wave of red spread across his features. "That blandishment is all for you, Booth."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: As I reread this I am smiling so broadly. This is really one of my favorite Word Challenges. And I can't explain why, I just find it incredibly cute. And something that I wish could have happened. Anyway, here it is.  
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Cancatervate- to heap up in a pile

"Where is it?," she muttered to herself. She searched through her full closet, the laundry hamper, and even under her bed. But the gray FBI t-shirt she had "borrowed" from her partner was still proving to be quite elusive. The only other place to look was her dresser, but she was sure she hadn't put it in there.

When she began to open the drawers and throw the contents to the floor, there was already a pile of rumpled clothes forming in the middle of her bedroom floor. She was so involved in searching for the shirt and muttering to herself about its whereabouts that she didn't hear the knock at her front door or the voice that called to her from her living room shortly after.

Booth stood on the threshold of her bedroom. He watched her throwing clothes from her dresser over her shoulder. All of them landing with surprising accuracy in a single pile. "Bones, what are you doing?", he asked her.

Her head snapped up and she stared at him in surprise. "Booth, what are you dong here?"

He gave her a low watt version of his charm smile. "I asked you first," he said.

She lowered her eyes in embarrassment and guilt. "I'm looking for something." There was no way she was going to tell him what she was looking for.

"Uh huh," he said, obviously knowing she wasn't telling him the entire truth. She looked at him again, waiting for him to answer her question. "I came by to tell you we have a case." She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. He held up his hands. "I tried to call, but it went to your voicemail."

She nodded, satisfied with his answer. "Just give me a minute." She turned around and, for the first time, saw her handy work.

"That's an interesting pile of clothes you have there." He walked further into the room and surveyed the clothes.

"Are you saying you've never seen anyone cancatervate their belongings when searching for a missing item?", she asked him.

"Oh, I've seen it before, Bones," he nodded. "I just never thought I would see you do it." He looked around the room. "What are you looking for any way? Maybe I can help you look."

"No!", she nearly yelled at him. "I mean, it's nothing." Booth looked unconvinced and she went on. "I was just looking for a shirt, Booth. A gray t-shirt. That's all. I can find it later." She walked to her bedroom door and into the hall as she spoke and he followed her.

In the SUV, there was little conversation, and Booth could tell she was mentally tearing her apartment apart, still looking for her favorite shirt.

After finishing up at the scene, they went to the lab. She was in full squint mode, but he could tell she was still thinking about her shirt. He laughed. He thought it was cute, not that he would tell her that. Her favorite shirt was missing and she was obviously upset. He leaned against the railing on the platform, watching the squint squad do their thing. "Did you look under the bed?," he asked. Hodgins, Angela, and Cam looked up at him, not knowing what he was talking about.

But Bones knew, and without looking up form her work she answered him, "Yes. I looked everywhere." The other three members of the team looked from one partner to the other in confusion.

"You know, Bones, if you can't find it, you can always get another." He pushed off the railing and walked over to her. He leaned in close and told her. "I do have other shirts."


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bones. I write these for entertainment and do not profit from it in any way. **

**A/N: I just wanted to take a minute to thank you all for reading. I really love seeing that I have reviews. I normally just write for my own enjoyment, but when I began posting my work and people started commenting I felt like it was something I should've always been doing. **

**Enough sentimentals... On to the Word Challenge. And By the Way, these word of the day challenges were not my idea. I have no idea who started them, or I would give them credit.  
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Defenestrate- to throw from a window

"That is completely unbelievable." She pointed to the television. "People just don't do that, Booth." Temperance was sitting on her partner's couch, in his apartment, watching a movie with him.

The man next to her laughed. "Bones, it's not really supposed to be believable in that sense. It's a fantasy. The characters do things that people wouldn't normally do." He dropped the arm he had draped behind her on the couch to her shoulders. "How many people do you know who go around throwing people out of windows?"

Two days later, the partners were silently creeping through an abandoned warehouse in search of an armed suspect. Booth entered a room with his gun drawn and looked around to clear the room. He turned to indicate the cleared room to his partner. But he saw a figure grab her upper arm before he could give her the signal. He raised his gun, aiming it at the man holding her arm.

Temperance remained calm, her self-defense skills taking over. She looked over to Booth, who was ready to shoot her attacker. She gave him a smile to let him know she had things under control. Then she winked at him. He didn't relax his stance, but gave her a slight nod of understanding.

In a fury of controlled movement, Temperance had the man flying over her shoulder and through the pane of a window. The window shattered as the man crashed through the dark painted glass. Booth walked over to the window and peered out. Their suspect was lying motionless and moaning in a pile of empty cardboard boxes. Booth let out a loud laugh. "Wow, Bones. Nice work."

She stood next to him at the window. "I told you I could take care of myself." She smiled as a thought crossed her mind. "You know, Booth, that movie we watched may not be a far removed from reality as I originally thought." He gave her a quizzical look. "I just demonstrated that people do defenestrate others outside of a movie based on fantasy."

Booth smiled at her. "So does that mean we can watch fantasies more often?", he asked as they turned and he put his arm around her shoulders. "Now about that wink…"


	7. Chapter 7

Inclement- harsh or severe

The rain had been falling for three days, and the weather reports indicated no end in sight. But the inclement weather wasn't bothering Dr. Brennan. Due to the fact that Agent Stud Muffin hadn't come by in almost a week with a new case, Brennan was spending most of her time in Limbo. The weather wasn't bothering Angela, either, she realized as she watched her best friend work. Most of her favorite activities were of the indoor variety. Or they had been until Sweets had suggested a self-imposed six-month celibacy to her. Talk about something being inclement. She walked from Limbo and began the short journey to her office.

Booth strode into the lab as Angela passed Brennan's office. "Hey Booth, how's the FBI's hottest agent today?", she asked him.

Booth smiled at her. Her flirting had become just a bit more intense of late, but he had never minded a beautiful woman flirting with him. And Angela was harmless. "I'm good, Ange. How are you?", he asked her.

She just smiled at him. He was too cute. "She's in Limbo, Hot Stuff," she told him as she walked away.

He entered the unidentified bone storage room, known to most as Limbo, and watched her leaning over an exam table. She had her back to him, so he was able to approach her unseen and, thanks to his sniper skills, unheard.

But what he hadn't counted on was being smelled. "Do we have a case, Booth?", she asked without turning around.

He came to stand beside her. "How?"

She smiled, "I could smell your cologne as soon as you stepped behind me." She leaned into him and inhaled. "Nice, I think this one is my favorite." They exchanged a look and a smile. She put the bones she was examining back in the plastic container. "So, do we have a case?"

Twenty-five minutes later, they were trudging through rain, tall wet grass, and mud. "Ugh, my shoes! I hate this weather," Booth complained.

"Booth, you should get a pair of gum boots to wear into the field. That way you won't have to place blame for your ruined shoes on the inclement weather," she offered as he shook mud from his once shiny black shoes. They reached the body and Brennan hunched down to do her examination. They spent a half hour at the scene before they had everything sent back to the Jeffersonian.

When they were back in the SUV, Brennan turned to Booth and giggled. He glared at her. "The inclement weather has caused your mood to become more inclement with each encounter."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Bad weather, bad mood." He stole a glance at her while he drove back to the Jeffersonian. "You know, there are some really easy ways to improve my mood, Bones."

A broad smile overtook her face. "Care to share those ways with me?"

He sent her a smirk made of cocky flirtatiousness. "You're the genius, Bones, I'm sure you can figure it out for yourself."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Hello, all my wonderful readers! So sorry I haven't updated earlier. I won't bother you with excuses, as there aren't any good ones. I just have been working on some original fiction. Anyway, please accept my apology. This challenge word OS is a shorty. And, I still don't own any part of Bones. ;)**

Slugabed – one who stays in bed until a late hour.

Temperance woke to the brightness of the sun shining through her bedroom window. But the rays of light banding across her room weren't what had awakened her. No, that honor belonged to the loud banging on her apartment door. She turned over to look at the time. The loud knocking sounded again and Temperance groaned. She threw the comforter off and sat up. The banging continued as she trudged from her bedroom to the door. She unlocked the door and flung it open. The tall, perfect body of her partner stood before her, holding a delicious smelling bag and a carrier holding two coffees.

Seeley Booth looked at the woman glaring at him from across the threshold. He took in her disheveled hair, slumber laden, beautiful face, revealingly tight tank top, and super short shorts. Then let his eyes wander down her long…gorgeous long legs to her bare feet. A smile overtook his face as thoughts of a slightly indecent nature raced through his mind.

"Booth?", her voice severed him from the images in his mind. "What are you doing here?" She moved back to allow him to enter, and when he did she closed the door behind him.

"Were you still in bed, Bones? I've never known you to stay in bed so late before," he said, not answering her question.

Temperance went into the kitchen, her partner following. "I'm not usually a slugabed, Booth. That's true. But, as today is Saturday and one of the few weekends we didn't have to work, I decided to sleep in." She turned at the counter and watched him unpack the donuts and coffee. Booth handed her a donut. "Did you come over to discuss my sleeping habits, Booth? Or are coffee and donuts a precursor for something?", she asked him, then bit into her donut.

He smiled. He knew what he wanted the coffee and donuts to lead to. And that could lead to a discussion, or rather a demonstration, of her sleeping habits. "No, I didn't come over to talk about why you are a slugabed. The breakfast is a precursor only to us doing something together today." Booth smirked at her. "I'm open to spending the day any way you like, Bones. As long as I'm with you. Even if you want us to be slugabeds together."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Sorry I haven't been around lately. I do appreciate all the reviews, follows, and favorites. I haven't forgotten about you all, I swear. I've been a bit preoccupied by some original fiction that I've been writing. This OS kind of fits the storyline of the show, though I believe it was written sometime in Season 4 or 5. Hope you like it.  
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Lissome – supple or nimble

Booth watched her from his seat on the bench. She was practicing her Karate on a mat in the center of the gym. There were many others in the large room; men, women, and children of all ages mirroring the slow, precise movements of his partner. But his eyes saw only Bones.

The movement seemed second nature to her. Booth had never seen anyone so lissome. Her body flowed from one pose to the next and Booth was mesmerized.

"Which one is yours?", a voice asked him. Booth turned his head to see an attractive young woman with short, curly blonde hair smiling at him. She gestured to the mass of people on the mats.

Booth nodded and pointed to Bones. "She's in the middle. She has auburn hair in a pony tail and a black belt." That was as accurate a description as he could give as everyone was wearing the same outfit.

The woman followed the direction of his pointed finger. "Temperance Brennan?" Booth nodded, not taking his eyes from his partner, his smile wide. "I've been bringing my nephew here for a long time and I've always wanted meet her. I didn't know she was married," she said, taking in his expression as he looked at the novelist.

He continued to watch the woman who had held his attention since he'd walked in the door and his heart since he'd met her. She was so fluid and at ease with her actions. He could watch her all day. And on good days, he did. "She's not," he told the woman next to him, "but I'm working on it."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: This was written while Angela and Hodgins were broken up. Before she dated Wendell.  
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Aberrant – abnormal

Angela stood outside her office, watching the other employees of the Jeffersonian Medico-Legal Lab going about their daily jobs. Normally, she would be one of them, but today, at that moment, she had another objective.

She approached the workstation where Hodgins was peering down into a microscope. She needed to talk to him. He had been avoiding her for the last two days and Angela had no idea why. "Jack," she greeted him. No response. "Are you mad at me, Hodgins? Is that why you won't talk to me?", she tried again. His only indication of hearing her was a brief glance from his bright blue eyes before moving to another microscope at his station. "That's fine, Hodgins. Ignore me. Just don't expect me to know why you're acting this way." She walked away from him, shaking her head in annoyance.

When he saw Angela leave, Booth came up behind Hodgins and placed his hand on the entomologist's shoulder. "How are you holding up, Hodgins?" Booth knew why Hodgins wasn't speaking to Angela, and though he didn't necessary agree with the other man's reasoning, he understood the feelings fueling Hodgins' motivation.

Hodgins turned on his stool to face Booth. "It's hard, G-Man. Harder than I thought it would be. But I'm hanging in there. I know my Angie, and I'm sure this will work." Hodgins raised his fist to Booth.

Booth had his doubts, but bumped his fist to Hodgins'. "Good luck," he told him.

Angela watched Booth and Hodgins talking from the door of her office. Apparently, he could talk to everyone but her. Brennan walked by on her way to the platform and Angela grabbed her arm. "Sweetie, get in here. I have to talk to you," she said, pulling Brennan inside the office.

"Angela, what are you doing?" Brennan stumbled to a stop in Angela's office.

"Something's wrong with Hodgins." Angela blurted to her best friend.

"Is he ill?" She hadn't noticed any signs of illness during her earlier discussion with Hodgins.

"No, he's not acting like himself. He won't talk to me at all. He hasn't said a word to me in two days and I don't like it." Angela began pacing the floor in front of Brennan.

"So Hodgins is exhibiting aberrant behavior toward you. Do you know what initiated this change?" Angela shook her head. "And because he won't talk to you, asking him wouldn't do any good. Would you like for me to ask him?" Brennan was proud of herself for understanding the complexities of what she called Angela's logic.

"Would you, Bren?" Brennan nodded and left the office.

She slid her access card through the security alarm on the platform and walked over to where Hodgins was bumping his fist to Booth's. She still didn't understand this ritual, but it seemed to be as popular as Zack had led her to believe. Both men turned their heads as she came up to them. "Hodgins I need to ask you a question. And I hope you will answer it with honesty."

Hodgins nodded. "Sure, Dr. B." He glanced over to Booth who shrugged his shoulders and looked questioningly to Bones.

"Why aren't you speaking to Angela?", she asked.

"Bones!", Booth complained. Hodgins smiled at the doc's bluntness.

"What? He is obviously exhibiting aberrant behavior toward Angela, by ignoring her attempts to engage him in conversation. I just want to know why, Booth.", she reasoned.

Hodgins nodded. "Okay. You're right Dr. B. I'm not speaking to Angela. But it's all part of my plan. Did she want to you find out why I wasn't talking to her?" Brennan nodded. "Tell her I'm done talking. That I want action."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hello, Readers! I don't know what holidays any of you celebrate and I feel I should offer my felicitations to you so, Seasons Greetings to all of you. I've been reading your reviews and I can't say how glad I am to know that you are liking these. This "chapter" marks the beginning of a six shot. Enjoy! **

Cogent – appealing to the mind or reason; convincing

"Come on, Bones. I really need your help with this," Special Agent Seeley Booth begged of his partner. He followed her into her office and perched on the corner of her desk as she sat back in her chair. "Please, Bones?", he persisted.

"What is it exactly that you want me to do?", Dr. Brennan asked him. She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest to await his answer.

He sighed. "Okay, well, like I told you, there's a friend of mine, another agent, that's getting married. And I want you to go with me." He looked at her, his apprehension clearly visible in his chocolate eyes and handsome face.

"Then why didn't you just say that instead of making it sound like some covert mission?", she asked.

"You don't understand…because…fine!" He sighed in defeat. She didn't understand. It was going to be exactly like a covert mission. But possibly even more dangerous. He needed to explain to her, or she was going to get mad when they arrived and she saw why he needed her. "Bones, I would really like you to come with me to Doug's wedding. But there is a reason, besides the fact that I enjoy your company." He blew out a long breath and dragged his hand through the dark cap of his perfectly gelled hair. "It's a wedding, Bones. That means there will be women there." He stopped, not wanting to continue. Willing this to be the one time he wouldn't have to spell things out for her.

His will was denied. "Don't you like women, Booth?", she questioned, slightly confused.

"What? I do like them. Believe me, I like women, okay. These aren't normal women, Bones. They seek out all the single men and they're relentless. They flirt, and that's okay, up to a point. But then they get bolder and they start touching…" Brennan started laughing. He looked genuinely frightened and disgusted. "If I go alone, I might not make it out alive. That's why I need you, Bones. If you go with me the man crazed wedding women will leave me alone." He gave her his mega-watt charm smile as he finished.

"Don't use your charm smile on me, Booth," she told him, swatting his arm for emphasis.

"So will you go with me?" He leaned in close to her. "I need you there to protect me."

"From the man crazed wedding women. Well, you have presented a logical cogent argument. So, I'll escort you to your friend's wedding."

He smiled. "Thanks, Bones, I appreciate it. But you won't be "escorting" me. That makes it sound like I'm paying you or something. This is more like…", he broke off in search of the right word.

"A date?", she finished.

Booth considered this. _An actual date with his Bones._ A satisfied grin spread across his features. "Sure, Bones. It's a date."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hi, Readers! Here is the second chapter of that mini-chapter fic.  
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Cagamosis – an unhappy marriage

They arrived at the church and made their way to a pew near the middle on the groom's side of the aisle. Surrounding them were other FBI agents and their dates. Booth nodded to several people he knew and slid his arm around Brennan's shoulders, ever conscious of the single women eyeing him. "Anything you want, Bones. You help me get through this in one piece, and I'll give you anything you want," he whispered.

Brennan smiled. When they had walked into the church, Brennan had noticed several women giving Booth appraising looks and slow appreciative smiles. Booth had noticed it too, because he took her hand and threaded their fingers together. He had continued to hold her hand until they were seated, then his hand had abandoned hers to lounge around her shoulders.

The partners sat through the ceremony, both of them deeply affected. Booth by the level of commitment shown by the bride and groom, the desire to share their lives with each other, and his own desire to do this same with the woman next to him. Brennan by the unexpected feeling of comfort and longing at the beauty of what they were witnessing. The familiar feeling that being beside Booth was where she belonged, stronger now as she watched the couple at the front of the church pledge their lives to each other in what she believed was an antiquated ritual. But if she still believed that, why did she feel so strongly about giving herself to the man next to her.

When the ceremony was over, Brennan noticed some of the women wiping their eyes with tissues. She had attended weddings before, and had seen the same thing happen. She shook her head, dismissing the women as being overly emotional. "What?", Booth asked her as they exited the church.

"Nothing, really," she told him. "It's just that most of the women here are crying. I don't understand what makes them so emotional about weddings."

Booth smiled as he looked down at her face. Her beautiful blue eyes, normally so clear and noticeably absent of tears were shimmering with the evidence of tears not yet shed. And her face showed the glistening tracks where her tears had streamed down her face. _She was crying and not even aware that she was doing it. Maybe his Bones wasn't as unaffected by the normal emotions evoked at a wedding as she would like everyone to believe._ He took the handkerchief from the breast pocket of his jacket and gently wiped the stains from her face. "You sure about that, Bones?", he asked. "It seems like you have a pretty good idea why they are crying." He held out the handkerchief to her.

_She couldn't believe she had been crying along with all the other women. Was something wrong with her? She couldn't let Booth think she was unduly affected by something she didn't believe in. _She accepted the hanky from him, blotted at her eyes, and looked at him seriously. "I'm merely worried for their future, Booth. They are obviously not thinking of the possibility that their happy union could become cagamosis." She told him in the hopes that he would accept this explanation for her silent emotional outburst.

He just shook his head, not buying her excuse for a second. But he decided now was not the time to pick a fight with her. He needed her to field the unwanted advances of husband hunting women. "Whatever you say, Bones. Now let's go. I'd hate to keep all of those emotional women waiting."


	13. Chapter 13

Imbroglio – an embarrassing of complicated state of things

The partners entered the large reception hall and were met by a young man who asked their names. Booth gave his name and they were led to a table, and Booth held Brennan's chair for her before seating himself.

They sat, talking amongst themselves, for quite a while, until a man, one of Booth's fellow agents, came over to introduce Booth to someone at another table. Booth excused himself, leaving Brennan alone to take in the others in attendance.

As promised, Booth wasn't gone for long. When he managed to make his way toward the table where he had left his partner, he stopped a few feet away to watch. She was not alone. She sat with a woman who was lovingly holding a small baby. He looked on silently as Brennan talked to the new mother. This went on for several minutes, and he was just about to take a step toward them when his breath caught. The woman holding the swaddled pink bundle leaned forward and gently placed the sleeping baby in her arms.

Brennan held the baby, much like she had held little Andy, and Booth was floored by how much the sight of her holding a baby appealed to him. He continued to watch for several minutes until the woman sitting next to his partner looked at her watch, smiled, and took her baby gently from the doctor, and stood to leave. As she walked away from the table, Booth noticed an oddly wistful expression cross the normally serene features of his Bones.

Booth made to approach the table, but before he could take more than two steps, he was accosted by an attractive blonde in a form-fitting lavender dress. Her hand grabbed his arm and she stepped close enough to him for her shoulder to easily brush against his upper arm. "Hi," she greeted him in a husky voice.

Booth stiffened. _Here_ _it was. The beginning. The reason he had brought Bones_. He looked at the table where his partner was seated, now looking at him with a smile planted firmly on her exquisite face. His eyes caught hers and pleaded for her help. She merely looked back at him, amused by his _imbroglio_ and waiting for the right time to interrupt.

He looked down to the woman attached to his arm. She smiled up at him, her blue eyes darkening with obvious appreciation. Booth gave her a tentative smile in response. "Hi," he returned.

"I'm Candace. You can call me Candy," the blonde told him.

"Of course," Booth muttered. He looked over to his partner, hoping she would come save him. But, instead, she sat in her chair at their table watching him be groped by a woman named Candy. "Look," he tried to reason, "I'm here with someone, so I…"

Candy laughed. "That's okay, honey, so am I." She let her eyes travel up his body and her hand mirror the action on his arm. "We can ditch them. We could have so much more fun together." She leaned in close to him then, letting her breasts brush gently against chest.

Booth leaned back and looked frantically at Brennan. She was openly laughing now. But she stood and walked over to where he stood. She tapped Candy on the shoulder and waited for the blonde to turn around. When she did, Brennan smiled pleasantly. "Excuse me." By turning around, the blonde had vacated her spot directly in front of Booth. And Brennan slipped right in. She stood on her toes, snaked her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips against his. He responded to her immediately, parting her lips and sliding his tongue across her lips. When they broke their short kiss, Brennan leaned away from Booth and looked at the blonde woman who still stood there, as if waiting her turn. "You're still here?", she asked. "I suggest you stop wasting your time. He's mine." Without waiting for a response, Brennan took Booth's hand in hers and led him away from the woman and to the dance floor, where several couples were already dancing.

Booth wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. "What took you so long, Bones? I thought she was going to attack me."

She smiled. "I was just waiting for the right moment. I wasn't going to let her hurt you, Booth." She laughed. Her tough, alpha male partner could take down serial killers, and gang leaders, but he was afraid of a small blonde woman wanting him.

While they danced, Brennan noticed several women eyeing her partner, but no one approached them. But when they returned to their seats, quite a few women approached him to ask him to dance. He politely turned them down, holding Bones' hand until the danger had passed.

Brennan waved to someone behind Booth, and he turned to see the young mother she had been sitting with earlier. "Did you make a friend, Bones? I saw you talking to her earlier."

Brennan smiled. "Yes, she's very sweet. Her name is Carlie, she is the bride's cousin. Her husband couldn't make it because he had to work. Their baby is…beautiful." The woman made her way over to them, and Brennan introduced her to Booth. They talked for a while and Carlie asked if Brennan wanted to hold baby Lila again.

Brennan surprised Booth by saying, "Oh, yes. Please." She took baby Lila from her mother and settled the baby in the cradle of her arms. She rocked the baby and gazed down at her until Carlie's mother came over to say they were leaving and asked if she needed a ride. After Brennan gave Lila back to Carlie and watched them walk away, she turned to Booth.

He grinned at her. "Thank you," he told her. "I'm positive you saved me from being torn to pieces, today." She smiled back at him. "So what do you say, Bones, are you ready to go home?"

She nodded. After they said their goodbyes and were back in the SUV, Brennan said, "I enjoyed helping you avoid being pawed by those women today. I'm convinced you were right and it could have turned out to be quite an imbroglio." Booth said nothing, just gave her one of his amazing smiles. She was quiet until they reached her apartment building. "Do I still get anything I want, Booth?", she asked as he walked her up to her apartment.

"Of course, Bones. You really helped me out today," he answered. They entered her apartment and after getting themselves a beer each, settled together on her couch. Booth watched her for a few minutes. He knew that look. She was thinking about something. "Something wrong, Bones?"

She looked at him and smiled. "No. Everything is fine. I've decided what I want."

_That was fast. Maybe he would get lucky and it would be something simple. But, then again, when had anything between him and his Bones been simple. _"Really? That was fast. Are you sure you don't want to think about it for a while?"

"No, I've decided. I don't need to think about it any longer."

He nodded. "Okay. Lay it on me." She raised her eyebrow in question. "It means tell me what it is."

One simple word was all she spoke. "Lila."

Booth was confused. "The baby from the reception?" She nodded. "I'm pretty sure her parents aren't just going to give her to you. You'll have to pick something else."

"No, Booth. Not _her _specifically. A baby. I want a baby."

She spoke calmly and clearly, like she was telling him what she wanted for dinner. _Hadn't they already had this discussion_. "Didn't we already talk about this? And I told you I couldn't _not_ be a father to a child that I helped create. You agreed that you wouldn't have the procedure unless I didn't survive the surgery."

She sighed. "I know. But, I've reconsidered. I _want_ to have a baby with you. I _want_ you to be a father to our baby."


	14. Chapter 14

Inaliloquent – speaking foolishly and saying silly things

Booth could only stare at her. _Had he heard what he thought he heard?_ Finally, he found his voice. "Bones, did you say you still want to have my baby?"

"No. I don't just want to have your baby. I want to have a baby _with_ you. And I want you to be a _real_ father to our child." Booth still stared at her, an expression of confusion and hope in residence on the superbly structured features of his face. "Why are you looking at me like I'm inaliloquent?"

"Bones, I don't even know what that means," he told her, throwing her own line back at her.

She smiled. "It means speaking foolishly and saying things that are silly. But, I'm not doing that, Booth. I'm serious. I really want to do this."

His face still told her he was unsure. "So you want my permission to go ahead with the um…procedure?", he tried to clarify.

She smiled and slid closer to him to take his hands in hers. "Not exactly." She took a deep breath and sighed as she let it out. "Now, Booth, I know you eschew talking about sex, but I would like to talk you about it. I think we should only use your donation as a last resort." She heard his swift intake of breath, but needed to say this. She needed him to hear her say these words. "I want us to try the old-fashioned way first."

The brown silk pools of his eyes widened then. _Was she really serious? She certainly seemed to be. _He hoped she couldn't feel the rapid beat of his pulse as she held his hands. Only in his dreams had those words passed the threshold of her soft lips. "What?", he managed to whisper from his suddenly dry mouth.

She smiled at him again. "Well, you _did_ say that was the best way," she told him, almost shy. She waited for him to say something, but no words came. He sat mute and motionless beside her, "Booth, please say something. If you've changed your mind, I'll understand. I just need you to say _something_," she pleaded with him.

His only answer was to pull her forward. He released her hands and grasped her shoulders, cradling her to the muscled wall of his chest. His eyes bored into the crystal blue clearness of hers, searching for the answer to his silent question. Then he kissed her. He slid his lips against hers, and she parted them, giving him entrance immediately. Allowing him to slip his tongue into the moist cavern of her mouth. He drank from her, tasting the sweetness that was solely hers. The hint of which he had tasted during their Christmas kiss under the mistletoe. The taste he had dreamt of every night since. It was intoxicating. It was Bones.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: First, I just wanted to say thank you for reading. And I know I already updated today. But, I've decided to give you all a bonus chapter today.  
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Eschew – to avoid habitually especially on moral or practical grounds

Booth broke the kiss only because his lungs cried out for air. He breathed in deeply and kissed her again. She leaned into him, moaning, her hands caressing him. One that roved between his shoulders and the back of his head, while the other seemed unsure of whether it wanted to curl into his crisp white dress shirt or feather his neck and jaw with gentle strokes.

Booth moved his hands to her back, keeping her close. But she wasn't trying to get away. She was trying to get closer, inching toward him until she was straddling his lap. Booth groaned when she leaned into him and he moved his hands down to her hips. He leaned back, taking her with him to lie on the length of her couch. Brennan settled comfortably on top of him, smiling against his lips.

He pulled back. "What?", he asked.

She shook her head. "I didn't think this would ever happen. I mean, I thought about this happening, wanted it to happen, but -." Booth's lips cut off her words, sweeping her up into another searing kiss.

His hand slid up her back to the zip of her pale pink dress when she loosened his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt. Her zipper slowly reached its end as his shirt was pulled from the waist of his pants, buttons undone, and pushed to his sides by her seeking hands.

The peel of a phone was ignored as the couple on the couch continued slowly ridding each other of their clothes. But just a few seconds later the phone rang again. And instead of silence after the customary number of rings, the phone began the cycle of rings again and again until Booth could take it no more. He heaved a frustrated groan and grabbed her phone from the table where she had laid it.

"Let it ring, Booth. It can't be _that_ important," she whispered against his ear.

But he was already pressing the green button that would answer the call. She sighed and rested her forehead against his shoulder. "What?", he barked into the phone. "There had better be a damn good reason for you to keep calling." He listened. "Hold on." He held the phone out to the woman lying atop him. "It's your editor. Apparently, it's _extremely_ important."

Five minutes and thirty-seven seconds later, the call ended and Brennan was sitting on top of Booth who still was lying on the couch. "Booth, do you think we should talk about what we're doing? I know talking about sex makes you uncomfortable and you try to eschew from it whenever possible, but we will have to discuss this at some point. We can't just go into this blindly."

A beautiful woman was sitting on him wearing her dress around her waist, tantalizing him with her beauty and the sexiest white lace bra he had ever seen. He was more than ready to finish what they had started, his blood still pumping hard in his veins. And she wanted to talk. "Are you sure you want to talk about this now?", he tried to reason.

"Booth, we need to talk about this. I think it would be wise for us to discuss how we will conduct this…for want of a better word…project. There needs to be a set course of action," his fingers on her lips stopped her.

"A project, Bones? This is a baby we're talking about," he argued.

"The definition fits. It would be foolish to-ˮ Booth pulled her down and kissed her.

"Bones, turn your brain off and just let yourself feel." He kissed her again, silencing the arguments she would have voiced.

Brennan pulled back from the drugging kiss. _Did the FDA know what a powerful drug he possessed? If he marketed the affect of his lips, the world would be filled with masses of mindless, infinitely aroused women._ But, there was so much to discuss, and she couldn't turn off her brain. That wasn't possible, not even for him. "I think you are trying to eschew this conversation because you know we are going to be talking about sex and other biological indicators that have to be taken into consideration. I know this topic makes you uncomfortable, but you must realize the need to plan this out." He smiled at her, not the charm smile, but a smile he saved just for her when she made one of her "squint speeches". She loved that smile. But, who was she kidding? She loved all of his smiles. So, she smiled back, and because she couldn't resist him, she pressed her lips against his for another taste of his drug.

"I'm not avoiding the conversation. I know things need to be settled and a plan has to be agreed on. I was just hoping we could talk about it later," he told her when the kiss ended. Booth ran his hands up her arms to cup her shoulders. A thought had occurred to him. Something her scientific nature wouldn't be able to ignore. "I thought we could do an experiment before we tackle the details." That got her attention, he noticed, when her eyes sharpened and her brows lifted. "Well, we'll need to make sure that we're compatible enough to try as many times as necessary to make that beautiful baby we want." He could see her thinking about what he said. "Really, Bones, I'm only thinking of our success. Not trying to a-chew our inevitable sex talk, at all." He wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck. "But right now, I feel more like a man of action."

Brennan giggled as his lips nipped at the delicate skin below her ear. "So, do you agree that an experiment is a good idea?"

She licked her lips and leaned in to touch her lips to his. "I concur, vehemently."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: This is the last chapter in the minific. Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;)  
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Nescience – lack of knowledge or awareness

Angela and Hodgins sat in the lounge, drinking coffee. They had pulled two chairs to face the balcony that overlooked the lab below, and were watching the two people who were standing together on the platform. Angela was sure something was going on between them, and had dragged Hodgins up to the lounge to spy on the partners.

On the platform, Booth knew they were being watched. He leaned over the exam table to his partner. "Bones, someone is watching us," he whispered.

She nodded. "Yes, I know. Angela and Hodgins are watching us from the lounge," she told him, without looking up from the bones she was examining.

"Why are they watching us?", he questioned.

Brennan smiled at him. "Angela thinks something has changed between us and doesn't like nescience in regard to her knowledge of our relationship. So, she and Hodgins are watching us as a way for Angela to gain knowledge of the change she has perceived."

Booth dipped his head and pointed his finger to nothing in particular. "So Angela is studying us to find out what has changed between us? Why is Hodgins watching?" Brennan looked up at him. Her look told him that he should know the answer to that question. "Okay, that should have been obvious."

Brennan smiled. "Yes, Angela still has quite a hold over Hodgins." She went back to looking at the remains on her table. "I'm sure if we just continue acting as if nothing has changed, Angela will stop watching us so closely."

"I doubt it," he muttered. He knew Angela could be relentless in her quest for details. Booth leaned across the table. "Maybe I don't want to act like everything is the same. Things changed between us when we came back from that wedding, Bones. I can't pretend that night didn't happen. I don't want to."

Brennan looked back up to him and smiled a smile that overtook her whole face and lit up her eyes. "I don't want to pretend it didn't happen either." She leaned across the table toward him until they were just an inch apart. "We should put an end to Angela's nescience. That's what good friends would do."

They both came forward until their lips met. A squeal of delight emanated from above them followed by a triumphant shout of, "I knew it. It's about time!"

The End


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;)  
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Agelast – a person who never laughs

The group sitting around the table laughed in a jovial manner. All of them but one. Dr. Brennan wasn't laughing because she hadn't understood the joke Hodgins told. She wasn't even sure if what he said was a joke or just a funny story. A wave of embarrassment and discomfort overtook her and she left the table. She walked out of the Founding Fathers and leaned against the building. She wasn't used to feeling this way. She was used to feeling confident in nearly every situation. Brennan was comfortable with confidence. She was even comfortable with confusion. But, embarrassment, especially because of something so trivial, was something she wasn't prepared to accept so readily.

It was silly, really, she reasoned. It was widely known within the close circle of her Jeffersonian family that Dr. Brennan very rarely understood references to pop culture. And, while it bothered her, she had learned to live with it. But, lately she had been feeling left out of their tight knit group because of her inability to comprehend what they were talking about.

She sighed and crossed her arms across her chest. Brennan was looking down at her shoes when she heard the door open and felt the presence of her partner. "I'm fine, Booth," she told him as he came to stand next to her.

"Okay, Bones," he told her, knowing not to push. He leaned against the building in a position identical to hers. "Nice shoes," he commented, following the line of her vision.

"Thanks, Booth." She leaned over to bump him.

"What?, they're nice shoes," he mock reasoned. She gave him a look telling him she knew what he was really up to. He smiled at her and gently nudged her with his elbow.

"I don't want to become an _agelast_," she said.

Booth thought for a second, trying to remember when he had heard that word before. "Bones, you're not going to become an agelast, for two reasons. One, you laugh, Bones, just not as much as other people do. And, two, I won't let it happen."

She smiled at him. At his refusal to let her become someone who doesn't laugh. His, _I won't let it happen_, made her want to laugh. "I won't become an agelast because you won't let me?" Saying it aloud, it sounded even sillier. And she laughed.

Booth put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed her to him. "See? I can make you laugh. With me around you'll never be an agelast."

"You promise?", she asked.

He pulled her closer to his side and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "I promise, Bones." He squeezed her again. "Come on, let's go back inside."


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;)  
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Chagrin – acute vexation or embarrassment

The partners sat in the crowded diner. The waitress had already taken their orders and they were passing the time in companionable conversation. Brennan had asked Booth about Parker and Booth was giving her an enthusiastic answer. "You know, Bones," Booth told her, "Parker really likes you." He smiled at her. "I'm pretty sure he has a crush on you."

"How did you come to that conclusion?", she asked. The waitress brought their food setting their plates before them.

Booth's brown eyes crinkled at the edges as a broad smile spread across his face. "He's been telling me lately how pretty, nice, and smart he thinks you are. And before I took him home Sunday afternoon, he asked me if you had a boyfriend."

Brennan smiled at him. Parker was such an adorable child. "I'm flattered that Parker would choose me as the object of his affections. What did you tell him?"

Booth took a drink of his coffee, before answering. "I told him that you didn't have a boyfriend, as far as I knew. But, I would find out for him."

Brennan shook her head. "What do you think about Parker having a crush on me?"

Booth gave her a smile so bright it put the sun to shame. "I think he's a Booth. And as a Booth, my boy has great taste," he told her with a wink and pride in his voice.

"You know, Booth, both your son and your brother have expressed interest in me beyond friendship. It would seem that you are the only Booth not interested in more than a platonic relationship with me." Brennan noticed the red stain rising up from his collar to cover his face. "But you say all Booth men have great taste in women. And you agree that Parker shares this trait." Booth was averting his eyes now, his _chagrin_ evident. "The evidence suggests three possible scenarios. One, you do _not_ share in the great taste of other Booth men. Two, you _do_ share in this same taste and you just don't find me attractive. Or, three, you have the same taste as Jared and Parker and you do find me attractive." She leaned forward and lifted his chin with her finger, until he met her eyes. "So, which is it, Booth? Which scenario fits you?"

Booth looked into the smoky depths of her blue eyes. He could feel the heat covering his face, so he knew she saw the evidence of his discomfort. He took the hand under his chin and held it gently in his. "Bones," he said in a voice so soft she barely heard him. "I've always thought I had great taste in women." _I can't believe I'm going to tell her this. But, she asked, and I can't bring myself to lie to her._

"Booth," she interrupted, "I had no idea my question would cause you such _chagrin_."

He shook his head. "Until I met you." He continued. "You – Bones – you make every woman I've ever met look like – one of those old hags in a horror movie." He rubbed a circle on the top of her hand, and looked down to their clasped hands. Then he looked back up to her eyes. "I don't find you attractive, Temperance." The waitress walked by their table, her eyes wide with shocked confusion at what she'd heard. Booth glanced over to her then back to his partner. "I think you are unbelievably, indisputably, indescribably beautiful."


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;) Giving you two tonight, because I wasn't able to give you one this weekend.  
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Concilliabule – a secret meeting of people who are hatching a plot

"Bones," Booth whispered across the table, "I don't feel right about this."

Brennan raised an eyebrow. "Would you rather he continue to follow us around all the time?", she asked him. He shook his head and sighed. "Ok, then. Let's get this concilliabule started. This will work, Booth, we just have to lay some earth work."

Booth shared a look with the other occupants of the table and smiled. "It's ground work, Bones."

"Whatever, Booth, you knew what I meant." She looked at the people gather around the table. "So, do any of you have ideas on where to begin?"

"We should find him a girlfriend," Russ spoke up. "I don't even know why I'm at this meeting, but it seems to me that he wouldn't have so much extra time on his hands to follow you all around if he was busy with a woman when he leaves work," he explained.

Booth had to admit it was a good idea. He looked at his partner and saw she was thinking this over. "And he deserves to have some happiness in his life. I mean, he's not had a very easy life," Angela chimed in. "And he's really very sweet when he's not so annoying."

Cam nodded in agreement. "So," Brennan asked everyone, "are we all agreed that we should find a potential mate for –." The sound of footsteps on the stairs cut her off.

Sweets' head appeared at the top of the stairs with a goofy grin plastered on his young face. The group looked at him, then at each other. "Yes, we're agreed," they chorused.

Diaphanous – allowing light to pass through

She walked toward him, a vision of loveliness in a pale, flowing gown. She was breathtaking, and Booth had to force himself to take air into his seized lungs. He sat there, watching her, and she smiled at him. Her smile lit up her beautiful gray-blue eyes with a depth of emotion that he was proud to say was love. The knowledge that a woman as extraordinary as Dr. Temperance Brennan loved him filled his entire being with overwhelming pride.

She reached out to him, the distance between them closing slowly. The pale blue diaphanous fabric of her negligee dancing around her infinitely perfect form, making her appear more angel than woman. He stretched his hand out to her, anticipation coursing through every cell of his body.

_BANG! BANG! BANG!_

Booth's face scrunched in confusion. His conscious mind screamed at him, this wasn't part of the dream. The loud bang rang out again, shaking him from the vision of beauty coming toward him. _BANG! BANG! BANG!_ Booth groaned and rubbed the sleep from the dark lashes surrounding his shining brown eyes. Not only was he torn from one of his favorite dreams, before it got to his favorite part, but, (he spared a glance at his alarm clock), he was being woken up at 3:17 in the morning. He stalked his way to the door and wrenched it open. The angry scowl on his face disappeared when he saw who waited on the other side. "Bones," he said, the word escaping his lips on a breathless whisper.

She stood on his doorstep in a nearly sheer pale blue nightie that only came to mid-thigh. Booth swallowed, trying to squelch the instant desire that loomed just below the surface of his self-control at the sight of her. He poked his head out and looked around. "Bones," he said, grabbing her arm and pulling her inside, "why are you dressed like that? Somebody could see you."

Brennan stumbled inside. "It doesn't bother me that someone may see me. I feel no shame or embarrassment concerning my body. I thought you knew that, Booth."

Booth closed the door and walked into the living room. "I _do_ know that, Bones. But that doesn't mean I feel comfortable with somebody seeing you." He looked at her and gestured with his hand to her scantily clad body. "I'm not even sure I feel comfortable seeing you dressed like this." He shook his head. "No, I _know_ I don't feel comfortable with it."

Brennan looked down at herself. "I can see now why, with your prudish attitude toward sex, you would feel uncomfortable. My attire is decidedly diaphanous."

Booth nodded and rubbed the back of his neck with his hand. He had to ask. "Bones, not that I'm complaining, you know you're more than welcome to come over whenever you like, but, is there a reason you're here at a quarter after three in the morning dressed in a see through nightie?"

She smiled. "Well, I couldn't sleep. So-."

Booth crossed his arms across his bare chest. "So you decided to come over to share your sleepless night?", he questioned with a smile playing on his lips and laughter showing in his eyes.

Brennan stepped closer to him and all Booth could think was that she looked just as she did in his dream. She lifted a finger to trace along the strong edge of his stubbled jaw line. "Well, it was your fault that I couldn't sleep." Then she leaned in and brought her hand up to the back of his head. She pulled his head down to hers and brushed his lips with hers.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;) These were written so long ago. And as I post them I'm loving rereading them. I hope you all like them too.  
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Monomania – an obsession with an object

From the time she woke up that morning, Brennan knew she was going to have a hard time focusing on her work. Her dreams over the weekend had been intense and centered around one topic: her partner. She always woke drenched in sweat, breathing erratically, and feeling so disappointed when she realized it was all a dream. She had tried to reason with herself that those dreams were the result of the case that had been working. But, there had been no significant differences between this case and the others they worked together. So, she sighed and resigned herself to dreaming of Booth every night.

She readied herself for work, all the while thinking that she was suffering from _monomania_. And she had no idea if she would be able to compartmentalize this obsession while in his presence. But, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that her monomania was not something had sprung up on her overnight. No, this had been building for some time. If she was honest, this had been coming on now for about four years. But she was confident that if she was able to act as she normally did around him, that Booth would never know about her secret obsession with him.

She arrived at the Jeffersonian and took refuge in the quiet of the lab. She was early enough to be the only one there, save the security guards. And that was exactly what she needed. Uninterrupted time to get her emotions and obsessive thoughts under control. So, Brennan went to Limbo, after shedding her bag and jacket in her office and donning her blue lab coat.

She pulled a plastic container from a shelf and began the process of giving this person their identity back. For three hours, she worked in silence, and all thoughts of her partner were put safely in the box marked Booth in her brain. But, at 9am, the familiar scent of her favorite cologne caused the box marked Booth to tumble from its shelf, spilling its contents all over the open box she reserved for Limbo.

She took a deep breath and let it out. _You can do this, Temperance. Just act normal. It's Booth. He's just your partner. Who was she kidding? Booth was so much more than that._ "Hi, Booth," she greeted, without looking up from the bones on the table.

"Hey, Bones. I hear you've been here for a while." He walked up to her and Brennan had no choice but to look at him.

Brennan's eyes roamed over his gorgeous body. _Geez, the man could wear a suit! _Before she could stop herself, she took a step toward him. "Booth, I have to tell you something."

Booth took in the way her blue eyes were darkened and his pulse quickened. "Bones are you okay?," he asked. _If he didn't know better, he would say she was aroused. But that wasn't possible, was it? She was his partner, his best friend, she didn't think of him that way. Did she?_

Brennan took her gloves off and lay them on the table, then she lifted her hand and touched the lapel of his black suit jacket. She let her hand slide slowly down, and a sexy smile spread across her face with every inch. She looked up at him from where she had been watching her hand. "I can't seem to help myself, Booth. I have an acute case of monomania. And I've discovered no amount of compartmentalizing is able to keep it at bay. So, the only logical thing to do is give in." She curled both hands into the widest part of his lapels and brought him closer to her until their faces were only millimeters apart and the scent of his soap and the cologne she loved filled her senses.

"Bones, I don't know what that means." He realized what he said, then laughed.

She smiled. "It's okay. I'm going to show you." Then she brought her lips to his.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;)  
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Hypnagogic – leading to sleep, hypnotic

Brennan looked at Booth sitting next to her on her couch and thought he looked very tired. "Are you alright, Booth? You don't look like you've been getting much sleep."

Booth leaned back, relaxing into the inviting fabric. "I haven't been sleeping too well lately. I'm just tired." She was looking at him with questioning blue-gray eyes, telling him that she knew there was more to it than what he was telling her. "It's nothing, Bones," he tried to reassure her.

She watched him for a few more seconds, noting the pale brown color of his eyes where there used to be a deep chocolate, and the telling faint circles of the exhausted in residence below those eyes. "Perhaps your _hypnagogic_ ritual is no longer sufficient for your needs."

He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Bones, I'm really tired and I didn't understand anything you just said. How about you dumb it down for me?"

Brennan smiled at him and put her hand on his arm. "I said that your night time ritual may need to be changed." His only response was a grunt of acknowledgement. In that instant, Brennan knew she what she would do to help her partner. "Come on, Booth," she told him as she stood up and pulled him with her. "Neither of us has to work tomorrow, so tonight we will try to get you a good night's sleep."

"Yeah, Bones, I really need to get home," he said as he walked toward the door.

But, before Booth could reach the door, Brennan grabbed his arm and pulled him down the hall. "No, Booth. I am not letting you go home tonight. That wouldn't change your _hypnagogic_ ritual at all." She led him into her bedroom and sat him on the edge of her bed. "Tonight you're sleeping here." Booth's tired eyes widened, but she overruled any objection by telling him, "When I come back, I want to see you in that bed," before she left the room.

Booth stared at her retreating back. _Had she just ordered him into her bed?_ That thought made him smile. _How long had he wanted to be in her bed? And, now, he was too tired to do anything but fantasize about what he had always wanted to do while in her bed._ Still smiling to himself, he began taking off his clothes. He was just taking off his shirt and contemplating whether of not to leave his pants on when Brennan returned. And as if she could read his mind, she asked, "Do you normally sleep in your pants, Booth?" Before he could answer, she continued, "I already know you don't. So, take them off. I'm sure your colorful boxers will be more than adequate."

Booth shrugged and unfastened the signature "cocky" belt buckle at his waist. He was just too tired…

Brennan left the room again, this time going into the bathroom with her pajamas to change. _She was sure helping Booth get a good night of sleep was what she wanted to do, but she wasn't sure why she had him practically naked in her bed. When she had a perfectly good guest bedroom._ As she prepared for bed, Brennan made herself focus on varying Booth's night time habits and not on the fact that he would be laying next to her in only his underwear.

She took a deep breath and exited the bathroom. When she entered her bedroom, she found her partner lying in her bed with her green and burgundy patterned comforter covering him up to his waist. His eyes were closed, but as she approached the bed and pulled back the covers, his eyes opened. Brennan smiled at him and climbed into the other side of the bed. "Are you okay, Booth?," she asked him.

"Yeah, Bones, I just hope this works."

Her smile spread. "Trust me, this will work. Now, turn over onto your abdomen." He gave her an odd look, but did as she asked. She lay her hands on his shoulders and felt him stiffen. "Relax, Booth. I'm not going to hurt you." Her hands moved over the smooth musculature of his expansive back. Low moans of pleasure rose from the depths of Booth's chest. Brennan continued caressing and kneading his muscles until he was completely relaxed and soft snoring replaced his moans.

Brennan smiled and eased herself away from her sleeping partner. He was facing away from her and she placed a hand on the back of his head, smoothing his mussed hair. Then, she dropped a short kiss where her hand had been and settled down into bed, smiling.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;) To the reviewer who wanted a continuation of chapter 20, I'm sorry. These were written some time ago, and I don't see myself adding to them any time soon. However, this chapter is a continuation of chapter 21. I hope that will make up for it.  
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Tutelage – guardianship, protection, or instruction

The next morning Brennan woke to a soft snoring behind her. She frowned, not immediately remembering who was sharing her bed. Then the weight on her waist (an arm, she realized belatedly), and the warmth behind her shifted. A soft voice uttered a single word and she smiled, remembering.

She moved her head to look at the glowing red numbers of her alarm clock. 5:30, it read. Still too early to get up on a Saturday. So, she closed her eyes and snuggled back into the warmth of Booth's body.

When she woke again, it was to the full knowledge of who shared her bed and held her snuggly against him. "Thank you, Bones," he whispered against her ear, and then he pressed his lips to the softness of her hair.

She turned in his embrace to face him. "For what?," she asked.

Booth tightened his arm around her and smiled the special smile he had just for her. "The best night's sleep I've had in a long time. Not to mention the best wake up I've ever had."

She brought her hand up to smooth an invisible line above his brow line. "I told you it would work." She smiled at him and moved her hand to caress his temple.

Booth turned his head toward her hand and left a lingering kiss on the inside of her wrist. "Remind me to never doubt you on that subject again." She didn't pull back when he'd kissed her wrist and that both surprised and delighted him. _Small steps_, he thought. "How did you know it would work?," he asked.

She shrugged. "I know your back hurts you sometimes. And, even though I have no idea why you haven't been sleeping well, I thought a massage would relax you enough to help you sleep." She let her hand slip down to his neck, letting her thumb slide back and forth over the shadow of dark stubble along his jaw. _Had he always been this sexy?_ Her eyes roamed over his face like she was seeing it for the first time. Finally, they settled on his lips. Lips she'd thought and fantasized about since their Christmas kiss. _Would he let her kiss him again?_ Their bodies were already so close that all she would have to do is bring her head forward a few inches and their lips would be touching. His tongue slipped from his mouth and licked his bottom lip. And that visual was too much for her. She leaned into him and touched her lips to his.

His arm tightened around her again, bringing her body against his. Booth felt fire shoot from her lips and spread through his body. _Was he still sleeping? He had to be. This had to be a dream._ He pressed his lips to hers, returning her pressure. A low moan escaped her as she slipped her hand up behind his head and pulled him closer.

She opened her mouth to him and he groaned when her tongue traced along the contours of his lips. "I might need a few more nights under your expert _tutelage_, Bones. Do you think that's a possibility?", he asked after they broke their kiss for air.

"Or course, Booth. Your evening routine needs to be varying. This is just a rehearsal for tonight's lesson," she answered using her most official sounding teacher's voice.

Booth's head dipped for a quick kiss. "Then, please, teach me, Dr. Brennan," he said before claiming her lips again.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;) This chapter is a continuation of the last chapter.  
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Subterfuge – A deceptive device or stratagem

The rest of the weekend found Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth experimenting with different ways for Booth to spend the time right before bed. And, when Monday morning came around, Special Agent Seeley Booth was a well-rested man.

Booth pulled to a stop outside the doors of the Medico – Legal Lab and turned to face the woman next to him. She was smiling at him and he couldn't help but smile back. "So, we're agreed on not telling anyone about what happened between us," he stated in clarification. She nodded. "Okay, but you might want to tone down your smile."

"Are you saying this absurd smile that's apparently taken up residency on my face would be detrimental to our attempt at _subterfuge_?," she asked sarcastically.

Booth shook his head. _It wasn't that he didn't like that smile. He loved it, of course he did. He put it there._ "All I'm saying is that Angela is going to take one look at you and know exactly how we spent the weekend."

Brennan leaned toward him and brought her hand up to cup his cheek. "Can I help that you make me happy?" She brushed her lips against his. "Don't worry, Booth." She composed her features and opened the door. "I've been compartmentalizing my feelings for a long time." She slid her thumb across his lips and exited the vehicle.

Booth watched until she was safely inside the lab, then he pulled away and drove to the Hoover. He hoped she could pull it off, because he really didn't like the idea of Angela knowing all the details of their sex life.

Brennan was very proud of herself. Though confident in her ability to compartmentalize, she found her weekend with Booth severely hampered her ability to include her feelings for him. But with her powers of determination, she had successfully managed to focus her thoughts on her work all morning and keep the silly smile from her face. And Angela had seemed satisfied when Brennan told her she had spent the weekend at home, relaxing.

But, when Booth leaned against the doorframe of her office door at 12:30 to take her to lunch, and she and Angela were just finishing a discussion, Brennan couldn't stop the wide smile from forming. Angela looked from Brennan to follow her gaze as it rested on Booth. Both of them wearing smiles so wide they made the Grand Canyon look like a crack in the sidewalk. Her mouth dropped open. "Oh my – you guys – this is – SQUEEE!"

Booth stepped forward to put a hand on Angela's shoulder. "Angela, please! We don't want everyone to know." She calmed just enough to stop squealing. Then he looked at Brennan. "I told you she would know as soon as she saw that smile on your face," he joked.

Brennan smirked. "Oh you mean the one that looks just like the smile on your face?"


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;) A shortie...to end the mini fic...  
><strong>

Extraneous – coming from outside, or not essential, irrelevant

Angela crossed her arms in mock annoyance. "I can't believe you would keep this from me, Bren. Best friends share things like this, Sweetie. It's in the rule book." She turned to Booth. "And you, Agent Hot Stuff. Did you tell her she couldn't tell me?"

"Of course not!," Booth exclaimed. "You know no one can make Bones do something she doesn't want to do," Booth explained.

"No, Angela," Brennan broke in. "We talked about it and we both decided to delay any _extraneous_ involvement until we were more comfortable and established with the new development in our relationship."

Angela scoffed. "If you two were any more comfortable and established you'd be celebrating your silver wedding anniversary." She smiled broadly at them. "I'm not mad, though. We all know I never would have been able to keep this a secret." She turned to walk out, but looked back at her best friend. "But you know what you owe me, right, Sweetie?," she said as she walked out the door.

When she was gone, Booth asked, "So how long until the whole lab knows?"

Brennan cocked her head to the side as she thought. "Maybe until the end of the week. But she's going to tell Hodgins now."

Booth nodded his agreement. Not the ideal situation, but things could be much worse. "Alright. Well, then, let's go to lunch."

The End


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;)  
><strong>

Coquette – a flirt

Brennan looked at the woman standing close to Booth's side, examining her. _She was blonde, of course. It seemed to be a recurring theme with him. There were no obvious signs of facial cosmetic surgery. Though, as she scanned down the length of the woman's body, Brennan noted her breasts were either very well done or a blessed gift of genetics._ Brennan folded her arms across her chest, annoyed.

"Who's Blondie? She's hot," Angela said, stepping up beside her.

"I don't know. I've never seen her before." She shrugged. "She just walked up to him and started doing _that_." Brennan motioned to the woman, who was draping herself over Booth's left side. They watched as the blonde leaned closer to Booth, whispering something close to his ear. Booth smiled, but shook his head in response. Angela and Brennan saw his eyes scan the room, obviously looking for someone.

"He's looking for you," Angela told her. "Aren't you going to go over there?"

Brennan shrugged again. "Booth's a big boy. I'm sure he can take care of himself." Then Booth's dark eyes found her across the crowded room and silently pleaded for her aid.

He moved away from the blonde, only to have her take hold of his arm and pull him back to her. Shaking his head, he gently removed her hand and stepped away again. But this woman was not taking no for an answer. She latched onto his arm again, and pressed herself against him provocatively.

"Bren! He's clearly not interested in her. Go over there and get that tramp away form your man," Angela nudged.

"Ange, Booth is _not_ my man," Brennan protested.

Angela smiled and shook her head at her friend in exasperation. "Sweetie, Booth has always been your man. You both just need to accept it already. We'll all be so much happier when you do."

Brennan sighed. "I don't believe there to be any truth in what you just said. However, I can see Booth is in need of assistance. So, I will go rescue my partner form that clingy _coquette,_" Brennan told her before starting across the room. She approached her partner slowly, purposely swaying her hips in a languid motion.

Booth saw her and smiled, relief washing over him. He tried to break free of the hands grasping him, but the blonde's grip was strong with determination.

"There you are, Sweetheart," Brennan crooned to Booth. "I was wondering where you'd got to." She stopped directly in front of him placing her open hand on his multicolored tie and letting her fingers curl around the silk. She tugged gently on his tie, forcing him to come forward. She leaned into him as he came toward her and brushed her lips lightly to his. "I missed you," she whispered loud enough for the blonde to hear.

The woman at Booth's side was frozen in shock. Her hands still clung to Booth's arm, but her hold was weak and she was no longer pressing herself against him. Seeing the emotions dancing across the other woman's expertly made up face, Brennan decided to give her another clue as to where she stood on the chance with Booth scale. She leaned in again, kissing him firmly. Booth pulled his arm from the blonde and wrapped both arms around Brennan. He deepened the kiss with a groan and Brennan moaned in response.

Across the room Angela watched, a wide smile on her face. Cam walked up to join her. "Why are you smiling?," Cam asked. Angela pointed to Brennan and Booth through the throng of people, still kissing as the blonde took a disappointed leave. "Oh," Cam breathed when her eyes caught sight of her friends. "When they decide to do something they really give it their all." She smiled. "It's about time."


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;) I don't particularly like this one, but it's in the document, so I'm including it.  
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Pellucid – transparent, clear, easily understandable

The partners exited the large room, and began walking toward the doors that separated the museum from the forensics lab of the Jeffersonian. Booth was very quiet and walking with a stiff posture Brennan rarely saw, and she knew meant he was angry. Some of the doctors in the museum had asked for her assistance and she had gladly accepted. But, the men she was assisting weren't exactly nice. They had bragged about their accomplishments, touting them to Brennan like a peacock showing off his feathers, and voicing their obvious displeasure and confusion at her working with someone who was "beneath her intellectually." She had felt Booth's anger rising as he stood next to her. And Brennan had put a stop to their comments by telling them, "If I were to work only with those who were my intellectual equals, I would work with very few people. And none of them would be you," before walking out with Booth at her heels.

He waited until they were inside the lab before he spoke. "I'm not stupid, Bones," Booth told her. "I went to college and I have a degree. But just because I don't have a doctorate doesn't mean I'm stupid." His voice raised slightly as he voiced the last sentence.

Brennan stared at him. She couldn't believe he was yelling at her. He'd never yelled at her before. "Booth, I never said you were stupid. You know, as well as I do, how much I value your intelligence. Your knowledge and skill is just as valuable to our partnership and what we do as mine. The fact that you don't have a doctorate is irrelevant and merely an oversight that could easily be corrected." She put her hand on his arm. "Booth, I need you to understand something. All those men, they all hold multiple doctorates. But not one of them is equal to you. I could work with any number of overqualified PhD's, but I choose to work with you." She looked at him, allowing her pale blue eyes to carry her silent meaning. But Booth's eyes held no hint of receiving her message. She sighed. "None of them can do what you do. You can sit across from a suspect and tell if they're lying and get them to confess in a matter of minutes. I am constantly in awe of how even the most dark and complicated of actions are completely _pellucid_ to you." She stepped closer to him. "Your intelligence and skill, Special Agent Seeley Booth, are the reasons I will only work with you."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;)  
><strong>

Ablution – the washing of the body or some part of it

Brennan could hear the shrill ring of her home phone in the living room, but she refused to move. Seconds later, the musical ring of her cell phone sounded from the table in her bedroom. She closed her eyes and slid deeper into the bubbly scented water of her tub.

After a long week and an unbelievably difficult case, Brennan wanted nothing more than to soak in her tub. So, she had come home from the lab, and began preparing for her night of decadence. There were scented candles lit around the bathroom, and a glass of her favorite wine and a box of sinfully delicious chocolates were within reach of the bath. She selected soft scented bath oil and filled the tub.

Now she lay in the warm water, surrounded by scented bubbles and the soft glow of candlelight. She was more relaxed than she'd been in weeks, having finally "put her brain in neutral" as Booth called it. She sighed. That small thought of him took her drifting mind to more detailed imaginings of the man who was fast overtaking bones to be her favorite subject. With her eyes closed and her thoughts delightfully occupied, she failed to hear the series of knocks on her door or the sound of footsteps coming down the hall.

###############################################################

Booth had been trying to get in touch with Brennan for hours without any luck. He had called both her house and cell phones several times, and fearing she was in danger, Booth had driven to her apartment to check on her.

He knocked on her door and still received no answer. So, he took the key she gave him and opened her door. Her living room was showed no sign of her, save her bag and keys on a table near the door. _She must be here. And if she wasn't responding to phone calls or someone at her door, Booth's mind leapt to the conclusion that she was hurt._ He drew his weapon from his shoulder holster, prepared for any danger to his partner. He checked her kitchen, then went down the hall. The guest room was the first door he came to and held no threat. He was just about to turn around when a noise from the bathroom caught his attention.

Booth approached the bathroom door slowly. The door was slightly open and there was a soft glow coming from around the opening. There was silence, and then he heard the noise again. It sounded like a splash. He nosed his gun through the opening in the door and slid his foot against the bottom of the door to gently push it open.

What he saw was enough to make him nearly drop his gun and his mouth hang open in awe. His partner was lounging shoulder deep in frothy bubbles. He knew he should back out of the room and leave her to her bath, but he just couldn't find the strength to move from his spot at the door. Her eyes were closed and she had a content smile settled on her perfect lips.

He drew in a ragged breath, trying to calm his rapidly beating pulse and labored breathing. She must have heard him because her eyes snapped open and she looked at him. "Booth! What are you doing here?," she asked him, surprised to see the object of her thoughts standing in her bathroom. "Well?," she asked when he didn't answer. He only shook his head. "There must be some reason for you to come into my bathroom and interrupt my much needed attempt at relaxation through _ablution_."

She sat forward and the water slipped lower down her shoulders. Booth saw the expanse of skin widen above the bubbles and he stepped forward. "Don't get up," he begged her.

She smiled at him, pleased that the sight of her in the tub made him this obviously nervous. "I wasn't going to. Why are you here?"

Booth cleared his throat. "I tried to call. And I knocked, but you never answered. I got worried."

She nodded. "Okay. That answers why you are here. But why were you trying to get in touch with me? We saw each other at 6:30 and you said you were going to go home and wait for Rebecca to bring Parker over."

He palmed the back of his neck, trying to remember why he had been trying to get a hold of her. So he told her what he remembered. "Parker got sick and Rebecca wanted him to stay home tonight."

Brennan was confused. "Did you want me to take a look at him, Booth? You know I'm not a medical doctor."

He shook his head and smiled nervously. "Honestly, Bones, I don't remember why I wanted to talk to you."

Brennan nodded. She leaned back, causing the water to sway against her and expose the top swell of her breasts. She noticed how his brown eyes darkened to almost black as they focused on the buoyancy of her breasts. "Would you like to join me?," she asked. "There's plenty of room."

Booth gulped down the ball of apprehension in his throat. "What?"

"Would you like to join me in the bath? It's very relaxing and might lead you to remember why you wanted to talk to me." She saw the indecision on his face. The internal war waging within him. She may not be able to read most people, but she was quite skillful, much more skillful than she let on, at reading Seeley Booth. "I was lying here thinking of you, and when I opened my eyes there you were. We obviously wanted to spend time together tonight."

"You were thinking about me?"

She smiled. "Uh huh. I was thinking about you being in here with me, when I heard you."

"Really?," he squeaked. She nodded. "Are you sure?," he asked. Another nod in response. He smiled and took off his jacket. "Are you sure there's room for me in there?" Off came his tie, and his shirt.

"I'll always make room for you, Booth," she told him, her voice almost a purr. His pants hit the floor in a pile at his feet. Her eyes made a slow perusal of his body, ending at his face. His eyes caught hers and he hurriedly rid himself of his shoes, socks, and boxers. Brennan held out her hand to him and he took it, coming forward, and joining her in the water.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;) This was written a while ago. Some of the dialogue might give you a clue as to around what time period.  
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Apparition – a ghost or unexpected appearance

The esteemed forensic anthropologist and best-selling author, Dr. Temperance Brennan sat at her desk in the quiet Medico Legal lab at the Jeffersonian. She was busily typing up a report when the musical ring of her cell phone shattered the silence of her office. "Brennan," she answered, then smiled when she heard the voice of her partner. She ended the call just seconds later, still smiling, after agreeing to meet him at the diner for dinner.

She shut down her computer and prepared to leave when a soft voice said, "He must be very special to you, Tempe."

Brennan's head snapped around in search of the vaguely familiar voice. She found its source nestled in the corner of her couch. She stared, shocked, confused, and more than a little frightened. "This is not possible," she managed to choke out of her closed throat.

The woman smiled. "And yet we converse." She patted the cushion next to her. "Come sit with me, Tempe. You know I'm not here to hurt you." She tucked a long strand of auburn hair behind her ear and sent Brennan a pleading look with her clear pale blue eyes. "Temperance, please."

Brennan stepped hesitantly toward the woman who must be a figment of her imagination. _Maybe I have a tumor like Booth's. That could be the only possible explanation._ Brennan perched herself at the other end of the couch and stared cautiously at the _apparition_ of her mother. "You can't be here," she told her.

Christine smiled lovingly at her daughter. "Let's not worry about that right now. I'm here to help you, Sweetheart."

"Help me? I don't understand. Help me with what, exactly?"

Christine shook her head. "Not yet, Tempe. I want to talk about the man on the phone. Tell me about him."

"Booth? You want to talk about Booth?" Brennan smiled. Now was her one chance to talk to her mother about how she felt about love, marriage, family, and Booth. "What do you want to know?"

"Oh, the usual." Christine's smile grew wider and she cocked her head to the side. "You know, what he's like, if he treats you well, how long you've been in love with him, and what you're going to do about it?" Brennan's mouth dropped open in surprise. "Well?," her mother questioned.

"Should I start with the first question?" Christine nodded. Brennan sighed. "Booth is… Booth is fiercely overprotective. He can sometimes lean toward overbearing with his alpha male tendencies." A small laugh escaped her. "He's incredibly sweet and thoughtful. He's a wonderful, caring father. Booth is…wonderful."

"Does he treat you well?," Christine asked.

"Booth treats everyone well." She laughed again. "Well, everyone except suspects." She looked down at her hands clasped together in her lap. "Booth treats me better than anyone's ever treated me. He would never consider treating me any other way."

"Good. You deserve the very best, Tempe. And it sounds like you've found it. Now, how long have you been in love with him, and what do you plan to do about it?"

Brennan heaved a big sigh and leaned back. "Sometimes I feel that a part of me has loved him forever. But I think I realized how much I loved him and that I was in love with him when he stepped in front of the bullet meant for me. As for what I'm planning to do… Nothing. I can't do anything. He only feels love for me in a professional, atta-girl kind of way. He told me so himself. So, you see, I can't tell him. It would hurt too much when he told me he doesn't feel the same."

Christine reached out and touched her daughter's shoulder. "Would you live like this for the rest of your life? Wanting him, aching for him, loving him, but not being with him the way you want?"

Brennan shook her head. "At least this way I get to be with him, even if it isn't the way I want. This is better than not having him at all," she reasoned.

"Bull. It's not better. It's torture. Any sane person can see he's just as in love with you as you are with him. You have to tell him, Temperance. Tell Booth that you love him." With those words, Christine rose from the couch to stand before her daughter. She bent to kiss Brennan's hair and faded into nothingness.

"Bones? Bones, wake up." Brennan opened her eyes to see her partner smiling down at her. "Hey, sleepyhead. You ready to go home?"

Brennan sat up and made room for Booth on the couch. He sat down next to her and she smiled. Her mother wasn't here; it must have been a dream. "I thought I was meeting you at the diner."

Booth gave a small shake of his head. "No, but we can go grab a bite if you want. Angela called and said you were ready to go home. And because I drove you to work this morning, I came to drive you home." He leaned over to bump his shoulder to hers. "Come on, Bones. If you want to go to the diner, I'll let you buy me some pie."

"Tell him, Temperance," her mother's voice sounded in her head. Booth stood and walked over to get her coat. "Booth," she called to him. He stopped and turned to face her. "I have to tell you something."

"Okay," he walked back over to her. "Shoot, Bones."

Brennan smiled. "You know I dislike when you tell me that." He gave her a crooked smile, and she swore if she weren't already sitting down, she would have fallen. She sighed, wiped her suddenly clammy hands on her thighs, and gulped down the lump of apprehension blocking her throat. She let out a nervous laugh. "You should probably sit down."

Booth dropped to the couch beside her and covered her clenched hands with his. "You're starting to worry me, Bones. Is something wrong?" His dark chocolate eyes questioned her.

"Whether the information I have to tell you is good or bad, is a matter of opinion." She turned to face him and held his hands to hers where he'd covered them before. "Booth, for some time now, I've… Booth, I…" _She should just tell him and be done with it. Do it fast, like ripping off a band aid._ "I love you. In fact I'm in love with you, and I have been for quite some time."

Booth stared at her, thinking he must have heard her wrong. "What?" She looked up to meet his eyes, and he saw the uncertainty clouding the pale blue pools. "Bones, do you know how long I've been waiting to hear you say that to me?" She shook her head. "When I woke up from my coma, I was absolutely sure of two things. That my name was Seeley Booth and that I was in love with you." His fingers rubbed circles on her wrist. "I thought those feelings would fade, I was told they would. But they didn't. They only grew stronger. And I grew more sure of those feelings with every passing day." He smiled at her, giving her the smile he saved just for her. "I know now that I loved you before my surgery. That I must have loved you for a very long time. Because I can't remember when I didn't love you."

"Do you mean that, Booth?"

"Have I ever lied to you, Bones?"

"No, I don't think so." A smile broke out on her face. "You really love me?," she asked before she leaned in and kissed him.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;) Please be reminded that all of these were written a while ago. None of them are based on anything that is going on in the show right now. Also, this chapter marks the point where I'm going to be changing things up a bit. Instead of just one 'challenge word' there will be several.  
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Contumacious – obstinate, stubborn

Ribald – characterized by or given to vulgar humor

Ascetic – one who practices extreme self-denial

Exigency – a state of requiring immediate attention or that which is required in a particular situation

Deus-ex-machina – an agent who appears unexpectedly to solve an apparently insoluble situation

Pertinacious – stubbornly persistent, holding obstinately to a belief, purpose, or design

Booth sat at his desk, staring at the phone, willing it to ring. He hadn't seen or spoken to his partner in three days, and God forgive him, he was almost wishing for a case. At least then he would have an excuse to see her. He leaned forward to put his elbows on the desk and sighed.

"Booth," a soft voice said from the open door. He looked up and she smiled. "You know, there's a woman over at the Jeffersonian wearing an expression identical to yours. What gives, Studly?" She came in and sat in a chair across from him. Booth shrugged in answer.

"Okay, well, I have it on good authority that the two of you haven't spoken in three days." Booth nodded. "Why?" Another shrug. "You know, Booth, the two of you are the most _contumacious_ people I've ever met. So what if there's no case? You guys obviously can't stand to be apart. Go over there and take her to lunch. You know you want to. And she hasn't been out to lunch since Tuesday."

Booth's head snapped up. "She hasn't eaten in three days? Angela! You know she won't take breaks to eat. Is she even going home at night?" He stood up, instantly worried, and began pacing a track in the floor behind his desk.

Angela smiled at the mini Booth meltdown. "Will you relax? I said she hadn't gone out to lunch. Not that she hadn't eaten or gone home." She looked at her watch. "I have to go, now, but you need to go talk to Bren. Just stop being so stubborn already." She waved to him as she walked out the door. Booth stared at the door long after Angela left, wondering if he should go see his partner. He left his office, but instead of heading to the elevator, he went to the break room.

Booth could hear voices coming from the room as he approached. Letting him know that there were several agents in the room, talking and laughing. Before he entered, Booth heard more than one unsavory comment along the lines of "having a 'bone' for Dr. Hottie to examine" that were far beyond what Booth would term _ribald_. He stepped into the room, and cleared his throat. The agents looked at him, embarrassment barely visible through the expressions of panic and fear on their faces. Booth stared back at them, his face a stony mask. He walked over to the coffee pot and poured himself a cup of the hot liquid, before turning to face the men again. "She has three black belts," he told them seriously. "Bones could drop all of you like flies if any of you even tried." He smiled smugly as he left the room.

In her office, Brennan stared at her computer screen blankly. "Dr. Brennan?," Cam called from the door. When she looked up Cam asked her, "Do you have a minute?" Brennan nodded. Cam walked forward to stand in front of the desk. "I know this really isn't in my jurisdiction as your boss and not my business at all. But I couldn't help but notice the notable absence of Booth the last few days in correlation to your melancholy mood. And I was wondering if there was something you wanted to talk about. With someone other than Angela."

"That would be acceptable." Brennan nodded. "You know Booth better than anyone, correct?"

Cam waved her head in shoulder-to-shoulder motion of indecisiveness. "I've known him longer than anyone here. And in some ways I know him better than most. But, overall, I would have to say that you know him better than anyone." At Brennan's look of disbelief, Cam told her "You spend all of your time together. We didn't spend that much time together when we were dating."

Brennan nodded in acknowledgement. "I'm not sure where to begin. But, I'm sure you will have some insights into Booth that no one else will be able to provide." Cam moved over to the couch and sat down. Brennan followed, sitting next to her with her legs folded beneath her, facing Cam. "Things were fine until three days ago, when we finished our last case. But we haven't had any interaction with each other since then. And I don't really know why."

"This is going to sound strange, but does it always affect you this way when you don't see him?"

Brennan shrugged. "We don't have a case. So there's no reason for us to see each other," Brennan reasoned.

Cam smiled, shook her head, and laughed. "True. There's no reason for you to see each other on a professional level. But you guys are friends. Right? So, why don't you see each other on a personal level?"

Brennan considered this. "We are friends. But…"

"The two of you are crazy. Both of you continue with the notion that you are only partners and friends. But you are _ascetics_," Cam scoffed. "Look, Dr. Brennan, I'm just going to tell you my opinion. I'm not saying this situation has reached a level of _exigency_, but it shouldn't be ignored. Seeley is a good man. Probably the best out there. He cares about you. Aside form his son; I don't think there's anyone else he cares more about." She sat back. "Can I ask you something?" Brennan nodded. "How do you feel about Booth?"

Without hesitation, Brennan answered, "I would do anything for him. I'm fairly certain he knows that." Cam waited. "He's my _deus-ex-machina_. Even when I tell him I can take care of myself. He's my constant."

Cam nodded. "I thought so," she said with satisfaction. "Now what are you going to do about it?"

"There's nothing to do. Booth set the parameters of our relationship a long time ago. Nothing I have to say is going to change his _pertinacious_ view on the subject." She let out a long sigh of defeat.

"Maybe. But don't you think you deserve the chance to be heard?," Cam asked.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: Disclaimer Repeat - I do not own any part of Bones. This is just for fun. ;) Yes, I know I just posted an update. But this chapter is a continuation of the last one. So I thought I'd post it right after.  
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Querulous – habitually complaining or expressing complaint

Acme – the highest point of something

Sine qua non – an indispensible thing

Dissimulate – to hide under a false appearance, feign, or pretend

Feckless – ineffective, weak, worthless

Frangible – capable of being broke

It had been an hour since Cam had left her office and Brennan was still sitting at her desk. To anyone passing her open door, she looked like she was engrossed in one of the many files on her desk. But she wasn't reading any of the files on her desk; she was replaying her conversation with Cam in her head. And she decided that Cam was right. She did deserve to be heard.

She signed into her IM account, and smiled when she saw Booth was also signed in. She clicked on SASBooth and began typing.

DrTBrennan: Booth?

A beep from his computer alerted Booth to an incoming IM. His face lit up when he saw it was from his partner.

SASBooth: I'm here.

Her hands hesitated over the keys.

DrTBrennan: I miss you

SASBooth: I miss u 2. U could have called me

DrTBrennan: The same could be said to you

SASBooth: I know. I'm sorry

DrTBrennan: I want to see you

SASBooth: Same 2 u When?

DrTBrennan: 3 days ago

SASBooth: LOL me 2

DrTBrennan: When can you leave? Want to have dinner? I'll cook for you.

SASBooth: Really? U sure? We can go out

DrTBrennan: No I want to cook. I need to talk to you about something.

SASBooth: Am I in trouble?

DrTBrennan: LOL You sound like Parker. No, I just want to talk. 7?

SASBooth: ok I'll c u then

Booth watched her screen name until it was no longer highlighted and indicated that she had signed out. Then he sat back in his chair with a big smile on his face.

At the Jeffersonian, Brennan pushed away from her desk and walked out of her office toward the platform. Angela turned to look at her as she mounted the steps. "Well you seem to be in a better mood," she told her, taking note of Brennan's smile.

"Yes, I am," Brennan agreed. "I'm feeling much less _querulous_ now."

Angela smiled. "Sweetie, the fact that you noticed you were behaving that way shows just how much you've grown."

Booth arrived at Brennan's door at 6:52 that evening. He knocked on the door and felt the familiar rush of excitement begin to build in his body at the thought of spending the evening with her. The door was opened as the giddiness reached its _acme_ and began to push for release. The form that release would take was a mystery to Booth until his partner took his hand and pulled him over the threshold and against her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. And he returned the motion, allowing all of his excitement to flow to her from his embrace.

She pulled away too soon for him, but he let her go. He closed the door before following her into the living room. "Dinner should be ready soon. Do you mind if we talk first?"

"No. I don't mind. Whatever you want is fine with me." He walked over to the couch while she paced aimlessly around the living room, and he could feel the nervous energy coming off her in waves. "Come sit with me, Bones, and we'll have that talk," he told her in an attempt at getting her to relax a bit. She turned and looked at him and he sat, patting the couch next to him, and giving her a charm smile as encouragement.

She sat next to him, facing him. "I need you to let me say this without interruption, okay? Then, if you still want to, we can have dinner and talk some more." He nodded and she expelled a long breath. "We _dissimulate_ our true feelings under the guise of a close partnership. And we're not fooling anyone. They see the true nature of our relationship. They've known all along. I've come to believe things I never though possible since I met you. You've become my _sine qua non_, my one thing I can't live without." She laughed. "I never thought this would happen to me. I look for you when you aren't there. Time by myself, that I once treasured, now has me thinking…no, longing to be with you. I'm _feckless_ without you, or at least I feel like I am. I've faced many things in my life. Abandonment, abuse, mass genocide, betrayal…so much. It's all a part of who I am. It's made me stronger. Sometimes I feel so thick skinned that I can face anything. But, I know that I can't. There's one thing that makes me aware of how _frangible_ I really am. Losing you is the one thing that I know will break me. I know I lived through your death before, but even I know that I wasn't the same person. And this last time, with the tumor, I was more prepared, but I knew how things would affect me. I love you, Booth. I have for a while. I know this confession may seem like it's coming at an odd time, but these last few days without you have made me realize that I need to tell you how I feel. I've already wasted too much time."

Booth sat beside her listening to everything she said. And nothing that had come from her beautiful mouth had been what he was expecting. He was surprised. That she could feel this way about him, amazed him. He was overjoyed. He knew he would never get another opportunity to reciprocate. A smile spread across his face and he took her hand in his. "Bones, I feel the same way about you. I have loved you for such a long time. I never thought you would feel the same way about me. I can't promise you that you won't hurt again, but I can promise you that for as long as God allows me, I will not leave you again." Booth pulled her into a hug and whispered in her ear, "I love you so much, Bones."


End file.
